Portsoken House

Refurbishment of a landmark 1920s art deco office building
Brief.. Considerations.. Solution. Information. Important projects
that followed
Portsoken House.

Our brief was to refurbish two floors at Portsoken house, reconfiguring them into smaller flexible units suitable for small businesses.

The building itself, completed in 1928, was designed by notable Architect George Val Myer, known for his work on the BBC’s Broadcasting House. Unfortunately, in the years since it’s construction the art deco finishes had been gutted from the building.

The challenge, therefore, was to capture some of this lost character while creating a contemporary workplace that meets the needs of 21st century tenants.

The building was originally conceived for a single tenant, therefore the subdivision into multiple units resulted in spatial and regulatory challenges to overcome.

The setting out of visible servicing was a key consideration, and an early design decision was to use the service trays to reinterpret the forms of coffered ceilings. This careful co-ordination allowed the structural soffit to be exposed, giving a greater sense of height within the office spaces.

Our proposals use bold geometric forms for a contemporary take of Art Deco. The circulation space is characterised by ribbed panelling and feature lighting which complements the crafted traywork.

In the units exposed services, suspended linear lights create the distinguished workspace appearance with views out across the historic Portsoken ward.

Type. Commercial
Client. Workspace Group
Location. Aldgate, London
Status. Complete
Size. 10,000 sq.ft

Important projects that followed Portsoken House.

Shepherds Building.

Shepherds Building.

Metal Box.

Metal Box.

Ealing Cross.

Ealing Cross.

Ealing Gateway.

Ealing Gateway.